Fides Media Living the Faith
By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba
One of the animators of Holy Childhood Association (HCA), Amawbia Deanery, QueenLady Ngozi Ekwunife, has described the HCA as a very important lay group of the Church that is vital for the proper formation of children.
QueenLady Ekwunife, who is also a patroness of HCA, St Joseph’s Nibo, Awka South LGA, Anambra State, stated this at the 2021 Annual Awka Diocesan Holy Childhood Day Celebration, held at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka, Anambra State, last Saturday, September 4.
Ekwunife said she was the person that initiated HCA in St Joseph’s Parish, Nibo due to her love and care for the children. She maintained that there was need for proper formation to be given to children from their very early stage to ensure they attain positive growth. According to her, when good foundation was laid for the children at their early formative stage, they would toe the path and grow to be better and responsible individuals.
Pointing out that she was delighted to be part of yet another annual HCA event, QueenLady Ekwunife, who is a former Organiser of CWO, Amawbia Deanery, described the celebration as what was of great benefit to the children who attended.
She explained that it was an opportunity for the children to meet with, interact and learn from their fellow children from other parishes. The HCA patroness added that the celebration was also a memorable outing for the children, who, she said, visited the St Patrick’s Cathedral for the first time.
Also speaking with Fides, the Coordinator of Holy Childhood Association, Awka Diocese, Rev Sr Maria Makuochukwu Okafor, IHM, described the HCA as group through which every Catholic child was made an integral part of the Church.
The HCA Coordinator noted that the annual celebration which featured various competitions, was also an opportunity for the children to parley and interact with the chief shepherd of the diocese.
In an interview with Fides, one of the HCA members, Master Stephen Nkemdili Ikeoba, of St Anthony’s Parish, Enugwu-Ukwu, Enugwu-Ukwu Deanery, said he had been able to improve his prayer life through the help of the association. Master Ikeoba said he was delighted to be part of the celebration.
Also speaking with Fides another HCA member, Miss Elochukwu Chukwuekwe of St Paul’s Parish, Obeledu, Adazi Deanery, attributed her spiritual growth to the formation she got from the group.
Miss Chukwuekwe, who narrated how other children assisted her with prayers when they had problem in the family in line with the HCA mission of “Children Helping Children”, revealed that the Holy Childhood Association had brought her closer to the Catholic faith, as well as improved her prayer life.